Cotton picker spindle nut structure



May 3 1960 A F. w. BARBKNECHT ETAL 2,934,878

coTToN PICKER SPINDLE NUT STRUCTURE Original Filed April 26. 1956 N# y y @W COTION PICKER SPINDLE NUT STRUCTURE Fred W. Barbknecht, Palos Heights, Ill., and Charles E. Patton, Charleston, W. Va., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Ori al application April 26 1956 Serial No. 580 872, nil; Patent No. 2,356,744, datei! october 21, i958. Divided and this application `luly 21, 1958, Serial No.

v(Filed under Rule 47(a) and 3'5 U.S.C. 116) 1 Claim. (Cl. 56-50) This invention relates to cotton pickers of the revolving spindle type and more specifically to a shield structure for each of the spindles and is a division of AU.S. application Serial No. 580,872, now Patent 2,856,744, led April 26, 1956.

In cotton pickers of the type under consideration there are provided currently about 600 spindles which are ar ranged on vertical bars, the bars forming drums which are revolved to enter the spindle sequentially into the plant and then withdraw the cotton-laden spindles rfrom the plant to a doing station where the cotton is swept or otherwise stripped from the spindles, the drums revolving to re-enter the spindles into the plants in a continuing operation.

The constructions heretofore used caused windingor collection of cotton bers over the spindle supports from the bars and more particularly on the nut structures which carry the spindles from the drums. These collections of cotton would be roped about the supports and become grease-ladened and oil stained and after Ian excessive accumulation would drop olf into the clean cotton and stain it or become so thoroughly mixed with the clean cotton that purchasers would refuse to buy it or would downgrade it at great loss to the producer.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and eective shield structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel shield structure which provides an effective seal against the entry of dirt into the spindle-supporting bearings.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel combination seal and spindle shield, the shield i and support having a plurality of reentrant areas providing a tortuous passageway to prevent the entry of dirt into the spindle bearings.

A further object is to devise a novel cotton-shedding nut and shield structure.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specification and the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a cotton picking spindle assembly.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of the shield and nut structure shown in Figure l, and

Figure 3 is an end view taken from the outer end of the spindle.

Describing the invention in detail the cotton picker spindle generally designated 2 may be of conventional form including a tapered picker portion 3, which terminates to a pointed outer end 4 and a base end 5 of the picker portion which merges into a cylindrical journal portion 6 which at the inner end of the spindle is States Patent O has an outer side 12 seating as at 13 againstv the inner` end portion 14 of the nut structure generally designated 15. The ange 11 has an inner radialV side 16 which is adapted for engagement by the outer side 17 of the generally radial bevel gear 7.

It will be understood that there is a running clearance between the internal cylindrical bore surfaces 18 and 19 and the outer periphery 20 of the journal portion 6 of theV spindle and that this space thatvis the running clearance between 18, 19 and 20 and between the radial surfaces 16 and 17, is suicient to admit oil from the interior of the support bar 22 of the drum structure from which the spindle is carried as more fully explained in U.S. Patent 2,140,631. The oil in such ilush type lubri `cation migrates into the chamber 23 which is defined between the adjacent ends 24 and 25 of the outer end inner bearings 9 and 10 which are spaced axially with respect to the journal portion 6. The bearings 9 and 10 are press-litted into the outer and inner end portions 27 and 28 of the nut structure 15 and more specifically the inner bearing has an outer cylindrical periphery 30 which lits into the bore 31 and the outer bearing 9 has its outer periphery 3'2 which its with a press fit into the bore 31. It will be seen that the nut structure 15 has a portion 14 of its inner end portion 23 externally threaded as at 33 which threads into the boss 34 as at 35. The nut 15 further has ya cylindrical guide surface 36 which fits into a complementary bore 37 in the outer end portion 38 of the hub or boss 34. Y

The outer extremity of the hub portion 38 is provided with a radial abutment surface 40 which engages against a back sideradial abutment surface 41 on a wrenc`uengaging hexagonal portion 42 formed on the nut meinber 15 intermediate its ends. The engagement between 40 and 41 serves to limit threading of the nut member 15 into the holder 34.

The outer end portion 27 of the nut member 15 has a substantially cylindrical contour outwardly from the portion 42 and at its outer extremity is provided with an annular slot or groove 43 which is defined by a peripheral annular flange 44 which is formed as Van axial extension of the portion 27. The inner annular periphery 45 of the llange 44 is cylindrical and closely surrounds the outer periphery 46 of an annular ange or ring portion 47 which is formed about the outer edge 48 of a conical collar portion 49 of the shield generally designated 50.

The ring portion 47 of the shield is provided at its free inner edge with a radi-al at edge surface 51 which opposes a radial surface 52 from which it is minutely spaced, the surface 52 forming the inner terminus of the groove 43 in the outer end portions' 27 of the nut 15. It will be observed that the groove 43 is further defined by an outer end portion 53 of the outer bearing member 9 extending axially outwardly from .the surface or face 52. The outer end surface 54 of the bearing 53 engages with a complementary radial bearing surface or radial face 55 on the back side of the conical central portion 49 of the shield member 50.

The shield member 50 has a central bore S6 in portion 49 which tits on the portion 6 as at 56 and is pressfitted thereon so that the spindle 2 is held against endwise displacement in the bearing and nut assembly between the gear 7 and the shield 50.

It will be observed that the rotating or the moving member of the shield is positioned within the stationary sleeve portion 15 and that the outer periphery 57 of the end portion 27 of the nut is cylindrical from end to end so that there is no possibility of lint catching and holding onto the sleeve. Furthermore, a labyrinthiau seal 's provided "by the construction of the flange 47 and the groove 23 aswell as` the disposition of the bearing portion 53 and it will be observed that the dirt to enter into the running surface is required to turn many corners so that positive obstructions are' provided against the freel entryof the dirt. This cooperates'with the flush type lubrication system as described in U.S. Patent 2,743,569 issued May 1, 1956, 'so that if any dirt does enter into any crook of the passage it will be ushed out.

This design has been actually tested and it is found to keep the nuts substantially clean of cotton accumulations thus eliminating the foregoing difficulties.

We claim: v In al support for a cotton picker spindle, a tubular member defining an axially disposed internal vbore and having a-central' portion' and inner and outer 'end portions, Vsaid inner end portion having an outer peripheral threaded part, a wrench-engaging 'part on 'the central portion-having 'a radially extending abutment surface facing said part, said outer end portion having an annular ange extending outwardly axially therefrom, said annular flange having an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter of said bore, said forward end portion presenting a radially extending face within said flange, and cylindrical bearing means mounted in said bore and projecting outwardly of the bore and forwardly of the face and defining a forwardly open annular` groove with the angc for' reception of associated shield means therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,767 Baker May 4, 1948 i2,497,777 Baker et al Feb. 14, 1950 2,667,725 Voigt Feb. 2, 1954 2,735,524 Hubbard Mar. 19, 1957 

